Corbett Unhappy With Liquor Control Board

HARRISBURG (CBS) – In his first capitol news conference since being elected governor, Tom Corbett indicated this week that he’s not too pleased with a planned action by the Liquor Control Board that could result in price increases for consumers.

In January, shortly before Tom Corbett takes office as Pennsylvania’s next governor, the Liquor Control Board is planning to increase the “handling fees” it charges suppliers by 15-cents to a dollar and 15-cents a bottle, depending on the size of the bottle. Vendors will have to decide whether to absorb the cost by lowering the LCB’s purchase cost, so some consumers may see price increases to the chagrin of the governor-elect:

“I don’t understand, at this point, why the LCB is taking an action like that on the eve of a new administration. And that will certainly be the subject of transition discussions.”

Corbett, meanwhile, vows to press ahead with a potential sale of the state store system, saying that aside from the infusion of cash it may bring to the state’s tattered budget, it’s “a way of bringing [Pennsylvania] into the 21st Century.”

Reported by Tony Romeo, KYW Newsradio

Tony Romeo

Tony Romeo is Harrisburg bureau chief for KYW Newsradio 1060.
Born and raised in the Harrisburg area, Romeo began his professional career at age 18, while in college at Penn State Harrisburg. He was still a college student when ...

One Comment

leave the state stores alone, you worrie about jobs in pa? well, think of the people that work for these liqour stores, if tom corbett gets his way all these state employee’s will be on employment, hummmmmm. i think the people voted for the wrong gov.

No government should have their hands in that business. Privatize the PLCB as they are the most incompetent group of shops in the country. Most of the finest wine producer around the planet do not want to deal with PA. PA is breaking international trading laws especially with Europe by refusing to sell in their stores certain wines. It is called monopoly with restriction on international commerce or trade. Let’s have Europe stop buying PA products and retaliate at us. I am ashamed of this system and it should be abolished. We, the consumers, are hostage of the PLCB or its union. Thank god for NJ!